The present invention relates to the field of handheld articles including electrical, electronic and mechanical devices as well as to consumable items in similarly small packages or housings, such as medications, cosmetics and snack foods. More specifically to providing a convenient means of having more than one of such handheld articles available on a users person and in some cases having more than one of the articles function together to provide either, heretofore unavailable functions, or simply making the availability of functions more convenient.
As a result of the ability of manufactures to provide a wide range of handheld devices, users of these devices have found themselves carrying more than one at a time. Although the desired functions of the multiple devices are available, handling them is neither convenient nor practical. Some of these devices are designed to be interconnected; in some cases with cables, in others through wireless systems, e.g. Bluetooth™. But in many more cases, otherwise possible combined functionality has not been provided for.
Manufacturers have increased functionality of electrical and electronic handheld devices with ever increasing frequency as the ability to provide miniaturization has increased with ever increasing speed. Historic technical limitations within the computer, communication and audio/video fields include the quantity of available memory and the speed with which memory can be accessed. In recent years, from a consumer standpoint, many of these limitations have mostly been eliminated, e.g. available memory. The available storage in cellular phones, for photographs, has moved from on-board memory chips to server storage in “the cloud.”
Another issue has been the need to provide for convenient means of interfacing with handheld devices. The users of handheld devices have adapted to what the designers and manufactures have put before them, e.g. miniature qwerty keyboards and “Dick Tracy”© “wrist radio” size screens. Another approach to the interface issue is the recently reported MIT “6th Sense” virtual input/output system. This system and others similar to it may serve some groups of users well. But for the vast majority of handheld device users, having actual input and output devices with hands on capability will serve them better. An ability to pick and choose what combinations of devices to conveniently have with them will provide additional advantages to the users of handheld devices. It is toward these users the present invention is directed.
A device made available by Icephone, Inc. demonstrates a combination of multiple devices with hinged connections, such that the devices will fold flat against each other. This product however, does not allow for the user to choose what devices are combined, nor does it allow for them to join and separate them at will.
As many more handheld devices with ever increasing functionality become available it is even more desirable to add or change-out devices with ones providing additional or upgraded features. The following are references related to the present invention: US patent application 20060007648 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,615,765; 6,445,577; 6,728,557; 6,798,649; 7,483,723; 7,512,426; 7,546,150; 8,413,805; 8,418,852.